Patji expedition
| Patji expedition | |
|---|---|
| World | First of the Sun |
| Universe | Cosmere |
The Patji expedition is a commercial and scientific exploration of the island of Patji in the Pantheon archipelago on First of the Sun.
Background
Patji is one of more than forty islands in the Pantheon. It is teeming with deadly flora and fauna, and is uninhabited by the local people (the Eelakin) with the exception of a few specially trained trappers. Trappers use native birds with magical powers known as Aviar to avoid death on the island. Notably, Patji contains Patji's Eye, a natural manifestation of Investiture,[1] and Patji's Fingers, a tree that bears fruit containing parasitic worms that grant the Aviar their abilities.[2]
History
The expedition was carried out by the Northern Interests Trading Company, which was based in the Eelakin homeisles. The Company's main purpose was to research the Aviar and to claim Patji ahead of competing companies. The Company sent at least two large, iron-hulled ships equipped with cannons, one of which was captained by Eusto. Eusto served as the leader of the expedition, although he appeared to be threatened by Vathi, a scholar who had significant knowledge of trappers and also had her own Aviar. The team had approximately two hundred soldiers and one hundred scientists and merchants. When the expedition arrived on Patji, the team set up their base, which was a small fortress. A scout team including Vathi was sent to circle the island and set up a second fortress, but they were attacked by a deepwalker while camping on the beach. Vathi was the only survivor.[2]
The trapper Sixth of the Dusk came across the remnants of the scout team's camp and realized that the Company was making a full-fledged effort to occupy the island. He noted that mercantile companies from the homeisles have discussed setting up an outpost on Patji for years, but he had previously warned them and their unqualified "trappers" away from attempting to do so. He followed tracks into the jungle, believing that the Company had somehow hired a trapper with some skill from the Pantheon, but eventually found Vathi caught in one of his traps and realized the tracks were hers.[2]
Vathi revealed the scope of the Company's expedition and mentioned that there was a great deal of demand for Aviar on the mainland. She also told Dusk that the Company had been in contact with the spacefaring Ones Above and possessed several pieces of their technology. The technology was far more advanced than anything in the current Eelakin civilization and included machines that can locate Aviar. One of the other members of the expedition, Winds, opened the largest of these machines and it agitated all of the Aviar on the island.[2]
Contemplating the new technologies and the suspicious level of interest that the Ones Above displayed in regards to the Aviar, Dusk realized that the machines were intentionally left with the Eelakin to accelerate the progress of their civilization. This would allow the Ones Above to appropriate the resources of First of the Sun without technically exploiting the native people.[2] The fate of the expedition after that point is not known.